The Foundation was established in the spring of 2000 by Bob Craves and Ann Ramsay-Jenkins. In a climate where one-third of the state's 900,000 K-12 students are on free or reduced lunches, and where 17% of public high school students do not graduate, the founders wished to encourage scholarship philanthropy, and to significantly change the opportunity structure for disadvantaged students and their families.

In establishing CSF, Bob and Ann, as well as the Foundation's Board of Directors, hope to provide pathways for eligible students to succeed in college, and in doing so, improve their economic future. Both founders are known for their commitment to education and to public service.

The College Success Foundation Board of Directors
The Foundation has established a small but distinguished Board of Directors who provide strong, innovative leadership to further the College Success Foundation's (CSF) mission and vision across the state. Since 2000, the Foundation has granted nearly 4000 scholarships and raised over $300 million, working with committed individuals and benefactors such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Costco, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and additional private donors. CSF works with hundreds of hometown and college mentors who generously donate their time to help students prepare for college and succeed in baccalaureate programs.

Directors include:
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Bob Craves, CEO and Chair of CSF
Bob Craves co-founded the Washington Education Foundation (now the College Success Foundation), a public/private partnership committed to providing college scholarships and mentoring to low-income, high-potential students.

Prior to that, Mr. Craves was appointed to chair the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board in 1997, which oversees budgets and policies of four-year public institutions and distributes financial aid to all eligible students, both public and private.

In 1998, Mr. Craves was appointed co-chair of the 2020 Commission on the Future of Post-Secondary Education. At the conclusion of the Commission, Craves and Ann Ramsay-Jenkins founded the Washington Education Foundation, bringing together community leaders from across the state of Washington to help the thousands of students who are left behind - the ones not adequately served or supported by existing government and scholarship programs.

Mr. Craves is a member of the Board of Trustees of Catholic University in Washington D.C., the Arizona College Success Foundation and the LeMay Museum.

He is married to Geraldine Maloney Craves of San Francisco, a registered nurse, and has one daughter, Dr. Stacie Vaughn Craves.

Ann Ramsay-Jenkins, Co-Founder and Vice Chair of CSF
Ann Ramsay-Jenkins is co-founder and vice chair of the College Success Foundation Board.

Ms. Ramsay-Jenkins has chaired the UW Medicine Board, served two terms as a member of Washington's Higher Education Coordinating Board, chaired the United Way of King County Board, the Seattle Repertory Theatre Board of Trustees, and was founding Chairman of the Seattle Repertory Theatre Foundation. She is also active in a number of other civic, professional and community organizations.

Ms. Ramsay-Jenkins' professional experience includes a five-year term as Director of the Office of Budgets at Harvard University, a position as Assistant Secretary of Administration & Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and a position as a Management Associate in the Office of Management & Budget, Executive Office of the President, in Washington D.C. She was appointed a White House Fellow in 1972 and served in the Executive Office of the President, Office of Drug Abuse Prevention where she received the Distinguished Service Award in 1973.

Ms. Ramsay-Jenkins, a graduate of Skidmore College, has been a director of Indian Head Banks, Inc. in New Hampshire. She also served as a board member of the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and as a member of President Carter's Advisory Committee for Women.

Deborah Wilds, Ph.D., President and COO of the Foundation
Deborah Wilds currently serves as the President and Chief Operating Officer of the College Success Foundation.

Before coming to the Foundation in 2006, Dr. Wilds was a senior program officer for education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where her responsibilities included serving as the Foundation's liaison to the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, the Gates Cambridge Scholars, and the Washington State Achievers Scholarship Program and developing other college access-related programs for low-income and students of color. She was also responsible for the early college initiative to create 250 new early college high schools across the country.

Prior to that, Dr. Wilds served as the Deputy Director of the American Council on Education's (ACE) Office of Minorities in Higher Education in Washington, DC. At the Council she was responsible for developing strategies and programmatic activities designed to increase and advance persons of color and women's leadership and achievement in postsecondary institutions. She has co-authored several books, written more than 20 articles, and was the senior author of ACE's Annual Status Report on Minorities in Higher Education. Her expertise and commitment to improving educational opportunities for low-income youth and students of color have positioned her to serve in numerous advisory and policy roles throughout her career. She was the co-founder and chair of the Board of Directors of New Era Education, an independent school and pre-school located in Baltimore, Maryland. She has also served on the board of the National Association for Women in Education and currently serves on the boards of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities and College Spark.

Dr. Wilds was awarded her Ph.D. in Education Policy, Planning, and Administration at the University of Maryland at College Park. She received her M.S. degree in Education Administration from Howard University and her B.S. degree from the California State University, San Diego in Speech Pathology and Audiology.

Joseph Gaffney, Secretary to the Board of Directors
Joseph M. Gaffney is a partner with the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, where he co-chairs the Estate Planning & Trust group. His practice emphasizes tax, business and estate planning.

He serves as general counsel to families, closely-held business owners, trusts and investment partnerships. Additionally, he is a frequent lecturer at public and professional seminars on selected tax and estate planning topics.

Mr. Gaffney is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Council and is a member of the Seattle Estate Planning Council and the Washington State and King County Bar Associates.

He also serves on the Advisory Board of Elder Health Northwest and volunteers his services at the Neighborhood Legal Clinic. Mr. Gaffney is a Trustee of the Nesholm Family Foundation and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Seattle University Foundation.

Mr. Gaffney received his baccalaureate degree from Seattle University in 1967. He subsequently received his J.D. from Hastings College of Law, University of California in 1972 and his LLM in Taxation from New York University in 1975.

A recipient of a number of honors and awards, Mr. Gaffney received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Seattle University in 1991 and the Order of the Coif from Hastings College of Law.

Samuel H. Smith, Ph. D.
Treasurer to the Board of Directors
Samuel H. Smith is president emeritus of Washington State University.

Dr. Smith has enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education, first at the University of California at Berkeley, then at Pennsylvania State University. He served 15 years (July 1, 1985 - June 8, 2000) as president of Washington State, the eighth leader of the institution in its 110-year history.

Dr. Smith has served as chair on a number of boards during his career in higher education. They include the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of the Talaris Research Institute. He served as chair of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges Board of Directors for 2000.

In 2000, he was honored by the state of Washington Legislature. The Senate and House of Representatives both issued special resolutions honoring his contributions to Washington State University and the state. In addition, Washington's Snohomish County and King County lauded him for his leadership and accomplishments.

Before his association with Washington State, Dr. Smith served 16 years at Penn State, initially as a faculty member, then department head, and finally, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of both the Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station.

A native of Salinas, California, he holds bachelor's and doctoral degrees in plant pathology from the University of California at Berkeley and honorary doctoral degrees from Nihon University in Tokyo, Japan, and Far Eastern State University in Vladivostok, Russia.

Frederick L. Campbell, Ph.D.
Dr. Frederick L. Campbell was the first Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education at the University of Washington and served in this position from 1992 to 2001. He joined the faculty in 1967, became Professor of Sociology in 1981, and served as Chair of the Department of Sociology for seven years. He held the position of Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education in the College of Arts and Sciences from 1988 to 1992.

Dr. Campbell has been honored many times for his teaching and work in undergraduate education. He was among the first faculty recipients of the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award. In 1991, he received the highest honor given for Distinguished Contributions to Undergraduate Sociology. He is the co-author of one of the leading texts in teaching sociology.

A demographer by training, Dr. Campbell is the author of numerous articles on the subject of the motivational bases of childbearing decisions. He received a national award for this research as well as a coveted grant from the National Institutes of Health. In 1981, he was awarded a prestigious Visiting Fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford University.

Born in New York, Dr. Campbell received his B.S. from Eastern Michigan University in 1961 and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1967. He is married and has two children, both graduates of the University of Washington.
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Gerri Craves
Geraldine (Gerri) Maloney Craves was born and educated in San Francisco, California, earning her Registered Nursing Degree. She practiced nursing at San Francisco's Children's Hospital for fifteen years.

After moving to Redmond, Washington, she became involved with Children's Hospital of Seattle working on the Children's Hospital Foundation Board.

Ms. Craves also joined the Catholic Fund Board of the Archdiocese of Seattle and also worked with the Seattle Symphony Women's Association.

In 1994, she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Seattle Preparatory High School where she was chair of the development committee and eventually vice-chair of the Board of Trustees until 2000. Additionally, Ms. Craves chaired the $9.5 million Capital Campaign for five years.

Ms. Craves currently is a member of the Board of Trustees of Gonzaga University and a member of the Board of Directors of the College Success Foundation.

A tireless fundraiser, Ms. Craves lends development support to the national Mercy Housing System in Denver, Colorado; Mother's Against Violence in America; the School of Theology & Ministry at Seattle University and Eastside Catholic High School.

She resides in Redmond and Bainbridge Island, Washington with her husband Bob and has one daughter, Dr. Stacie Vaughn Craves.

Joseph A. Dear
Joe Dear is executive director of the Washington State Investment Board (WSIB), a position he has held since 2002. In his role, he serves as the Board's chief executive officer, overseeing a staff of 62 that implements the Board's investment policy decisions. The WSIB manages $50 billion within 33 funds, comprised of defined benefit and defined contribution retirement funds, deferred compensation funds, workers' compensation funds, permanent, and other trust funds. The Board's purpose is to maximize return at a prudent level of risk for the exclusive benefit of fund beneficiaries.

Prior to joining the WSIB, Mr. Dear was government relations officer for the Frank Russell Company, focusing on strategic development, relationship management, and issue management involving local and national lawmakers, administrative agencies, regulatory bodies, and industry associations, as well as civic and community leaders and associations.

From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Dear was chief of staff for Washington State Governor Gary Locke. Prior to serving in the Locke administration, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton as director of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). He served as an Assistant Secretary of Labor, director of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries from 1987 to 1993, research director of the Washington State Labor Council from 1981 to1985, and executive director of People for Fair Taxes from 1977 to 1981. He also served as a trustee on the WSIB from 1987 to 1992 and as its chairman from 1989 to 1991.

Mr. Dear holds a bachelor's degree in political economy from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

Merilee A. Frets
Merilee Frets is a vice president with Washington Trust Bank in Spokane, Washington, where she is a senior member of the Trust & Wealth Advisory Group. Her work focuses on investment management and advisement for families and institutions throughout the Pacific Northwest.

She has been an investment professional for 14 years. Her work has often involved lectures and presentations at private and public seminars and for five years she hosted a weekly radio commentary on issues related to personal financial management during "Morning Edition" on Spokane's KPBX Public Radio. Ms. Frets is registered with the NASD and holds a number of securities licenses. Formerly, she was with the investment firm of D. A. Davidson & Co. Prior to investment management, she was vice president for the Washington State University Foundation, where she instituted several "benchmark" fundraising programs -- the annual giving program and the President's Associates.

In the 14 years she has lived in Spokane, she has enjoyed an active commitment to the region. Currently she is a member of the WSU-Spokane Chancellor's Advisory Board, and she is the Board Chair for Spokane Public Radio. Numerous past affiliations include board positions with Leadership Spokane, the YWCA, and WSU Finance Department's Advisory Board. At WSU she initiated the Davidson/WSU Student Investment portfolio and was a frequent classroom lecturer.

Ms. Frets graduated with a degree in English from Old Dominion University in Virginia and subsequently earned a master's degree from Washington State University. She is married to John Bonnier and has two grown children.

Mack Hogans
As chief executive of his firm, Mack Hogans provides professional services to CEO's, businesses and non-profits in areas of leadership, public policy, philanthropy, community relations, environmental policy and strategy and diversity. He is also the Executive Director of the Puget Sound BOLD Initiative and an affiliate professor for the College of Forest Resources at the University of Washington.

Hogans retired in 2004 as Senior Vice President of Weyerhaeuser Company after 25 years with the company. At the Fortune 500 Company, he held a number of critical roles. He was responsible for: corporate communications; environment, health and safety; state, federal and international government affairs; law and land title; E-business; and procurement and supply management. In addition he was the chair of the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation; a forester; a branch manager for the building materials business; and vice president of government affairs.

Before joining Weyerhaeuser, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service, the Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, and the National Park Service.

Hogans attended Tuskegee University and holds a bachelor of science degree in forestry and natural resources from the University of Michigan. He has a master of science degree in forest resources from the University of Washington. He is a graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program.

Hogans serves on the boards of Meridian Institute, Regence Blue Shield, Regence, and U.S. Bank- Washington. He is the father of two school-age children.

Jerry Quinn Lee
Jerry Quinn Lee is Board Chairman of MulvannyG2 Architecture, based in Bellevue, WA, with offices in Portland, OR and Washington D.C. MulvannyG2 is the ninth largest architectural firm in the U.S., providing architectural planning, interior design, and branded environment services for business leaders throughout the world. He received his bachelor of science from Portland State University and his bachelor of architecture from the University of Oregon in 1973.

After working for a structural engineer on the east coast and serving as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army National Guard, Mr. Lee started his architecture career in 1975 with MulvannyG2. Mr. Lee is currently a registered architect in 22 states. Some of his current professional affiliations include the National Council of Architectural Boards, BOCA International, American Institute of Architects, International Conference of Building Officials, Northwest Minority Business Council, Nisei Veterans and the American Legion.

Mr. Lee was the former Board President of the Kin On Nursing home and has been active regarding the senior elderly. He and his wife Charlene are members of the Children's Hospital Circle of Care and serve on the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Board. He is also a board member for Homestead Capital, Scoutreach/Boy Scouts, Communities in Schools/Seattle and was appointed to the Washington State Board for Architects.

Gary Locke
Gary Locke was elected Washington's 21st governor on November 5, 1996, making him the first Chinese-American governor in U.S. history. On November 7, 2000, Locke was re-elected to his second term by an overwhelming margin.

While in office, Governor Locke created the Governors' Scholarship for Foster Youth, which is managed by the College Success Foundation. He organizes the annual Governors' Cup Golf Tournament to raise funds to support the scholarship program.

Gary Locke is a partner in the Seattle office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, a national law firm, and is co-chair of the firm's China practice and also of its governmental relations practice. His China practice is focused on facilitating the existing and ongoing business of U.S. companies in China and Chinese companies in the U.S. He is highly esteemed at all levels in China as a politically and professionally successful son of China, enhancing his professional relationships in that country. He also has extensive and well-placed relationships with officials and business people in the U.S. as a result of his many years of public service and his memberships on business and political organizations.

Patricia Raikes
An active community service leader, Tricia Raikes is involved in numerous causes, with a focus on education, children and family issues. She is a long-time supporter of United Way of King County where she most recently served as co-chair of the 2006-07 United Way of King County Campaign. Ms. Raikes' leadership in higher education includes service on the Board of Directors of the College Success Foundation, as Trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation and as past trustee of the Washington State University Foundation. She is a former board member of the King County Boys & Girls Club and served as Board President of the Redmond-Kirkland Boys & Girls Club. Ms. Raikes also leads the Raikes Foundation.

In addition to her service in the community, Ms. Raikes has had a successful career in marketing. She built the creative services organization for Microsoft Corporation in its early years. She also held positions with Chiat Day Advertising and was co-founder of Marketing Partners, a marketing services firm.

Ms. Raikes holds a B.A. from Washington State University. She is a native of Seattle, Washington where she resides with her husband Jeff and their three children.

Kathleen A. Ross, Ph. D.
As founding president of Heritage College, Dr. Kathleen Ross has led this unique liberal arts college from 85 students in 1982 to its present enrollment of more than 1,100 students. Today, Heritage continues to fulfill its mission and is in the vanguard in bringing a quality liberal arts education to a multicultural population.

Dr. Ross is nationally known as a leader in higher education, especially in the field of cross-cultural communication. She was one of three recipients in 1989 of the Harold McGraw Prize in Education. In 1991, Georgetown University presented her with the John Caroll Award. She has honorary degrees from Dartmouth, Alverno, Pomona and Whitworth colleges and Seattle University.

In 1995, Ross was one of two people to receive the Washington State Medal of Merit award. Currently, she chairs the Washington Friends of Higher Education.

Dr. Ross holds a bachelor of arts degree from Fort Wright College, a master's degree from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate School. At Claremont, she studied with Peter Drucker and Howard Bowen and did her dissertation on cultural factors affecting American Indian students in higher education.

Lonny R. Suko
Lonny R. Suko is a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington, having been appointed to that position in 2003. He served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge from 1995 until being named to his current office.

Judge Suko was on the original Board of Directors of a non-profit corporation which established housing for low-income elderly in central Washington. Current activities include membership in the Advisory Council of the College of Liberal Arts at Washington State University. He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the WSU Foundation.

Judge Suko received his baccalaureate degree from Washington State University. He subsequently earned his J.D. from the University of Idaho. Upon graduation from law school, he served a clerkship with the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court in Spokane, Washington.

Prior to going on the bench, Judge Suko was a partner with the Lyon law firm in Yakima, Washington. In addition to handling litigation and legal affairs for individuals and businesses, his practice included representation of numerous school districts in central and eastern Washington. His wife Marcia is also very active in the community.

Margot Tyler
Margaret Daniels Tyler is Senior Program Officer, College Access and Scholarships, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously, she was Vice President and Executive Director of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS), administered by the United Negro College Fund.

Previously, Ms. Tyler was Manager of Global Diversity for McKinsey & Company, an international management consulting firm. She has also served as Chief of Staff to the President of Norfolk State University and in several positions over almost twenty years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), including Director of Master's Admission for the Sloan School of Management, and Associate Dean of Graduate Education where she was responsible for fiscal planning, administration, policy implementation, strategic recruitment and special programs across the five MIT graduate schools, encompassing 21 departments. During the 1992-93 academic year, she was appointed Dean-in-Residence at the Council of Graduate Schools in the National Center for Higher Education in Washington, D.C.

She has served on a number of national committees and governmental advisory bodies advancing science and technology-based education, including the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and the National Institutes of Health. She has held leadership positions within the Educational Testing Service's Graduate Management Admissions Council, is an active member of several boards and professional organizations, and was recognized for her achievements by the Boston Black Achievers Award.

Ms. Tyler is a graduate of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Public Administration with a master of science degree in public administration, and is a graduate of Boston University with a bachelor of science degree in education/social sciences. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2003 and completed the Sloan School of Management Executive Management Program in 1988.

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Donations to CSF
The Foundation is designed to receive and award funds in the form of scholarship and programmatic aid to qualifying individuals and institutions. For information on how individuals and corporations can create scholarship programs for deserving young students, please contact the Foundation at donors@collegesuccessfoundation.org.